The Panther
by Ael L. Bolt
Summary: [LostEboni's "Bodyguard" challenge] In the summer before 7th year, Hermione is in danger from Voldemort and his Death Eaters. Charlie gives her a panther to take care of for the summer, but she doesn’t know that the panther is an Animagus bodyguard...
1. Unanswered Letters and Really Big Cats

The Panther  
By Ael L. Bolt

Rating: PG-13  
Genre: Humor/Romance  
Pairing: H/Hr  
Summary: In the summer before 7th year, Hermione is in danger from Voldemort and his Death Eaters. Charlie gives her a panther to take care of for the summer, but what she doesn't know is that the panther is an Animagus there to watch over her and keep her safe from harm. And if only she knew who the Animagus really was...

Disclaimer: Harry Potter and all associated paraphernalia belong to J.K. Rowling and some other people. The plot belongs to me but is based off the Bodyguard challenge by LostEboni on (For more challenge details, see "talk. portkey .org/index.php?showtopic (equals sign) 7854&st (equals sign) 0" without the spaces, and with the equals signs put in, as ff.n apparently won't show them).

* * *

Chapter One – Unanswered Letters and Really Big Cats 

Hermione chewed on the end of her quill as she lay across her bed, a piece of parchment in front of her. A few lines were written across the top, but the rest of the words failed to come to the end of her quill. As she pondered what to say, her thoughts drifted to the potential recipient of the letter.

Harry had become increasingly withdrawn over the past year, ever since his godfather was murdered in front of him. Hermione and Ron had worried about him all summer, and when he was brought to Grimmauld Place he didn't say a word to either of them...just locked himself in Buckbeak's room. Hermione had nearly been sick with worry at his absolute silence, though he did improve slightly when school started. Even then, he was so quiet. It reminded Hermione of first year, before they'd been able to slowly draw him out and teach him to interact with people. He would disappear for long stretches of time, then come back looking absolutely exhausted and refusing to say where he'd been.

Needless to say, Hermione was terribly worried about him. It was only two weeks into the summer, but Harry had yet to answer a single letter from her. Ron had written to her, complaining that Harry was ignoring him too. She'd owled Dumbledore, but the elderly headmaster had only replied that Harry was perfectly fine and not to worry. That letter had done precisely nothing to help her, as she was sure he was _not_ fine at all.

She looked down at the parchment and re-read what she'd written. _Dear Harry,_ it said. _Why haven't you been answering your letters? You can't just shut us all out, Harry. We care about you too much just to let you go, no matter how hard you try._ That was as far as she'd gotten, wondering what to say. She didn't want to accidentally make him retreat even further into his isolation, breaking all contact with her because she'd offended him.

She was saved from her thoughts when her mother knocked on the door. "Hermione, honey, there's someone here to see you."

For a moment, her heart leapt at the thought that it could be Harry. Then she mentally shook herself. _Harry can't just show up at my door. The Order wouldn't let him, even if he wanted to._ "Someone to see me?" she repeated, putting the quill down.

"He's downstairs," her mother said. "A tall redheaded man and his pet."

_Pet?_ Hermione was thoroughly bewildered, and followed her mother downstairs. Her mind jumped to the conclusion that Ron was visiting, but she didn't know why Ron would bring Pigwidgeon with him. As she stepped into the living room, her first thought was that Charlie Weasley looked rather out of place in her house. Her second thought was that the large beast that he held on a chain at his side stuck out like a sore thumb.

"Hermione, so good to see you," Charlie said, giving her a bright smile and a hug. "How've you been?"

"Charlie, what're you doing here?" she asked, ignoring his question. "And why do you have that...er...creature with you?"

The "creature" looked as though it wasn't sure whether to be amused or offended, and instead settled for sitting down on the carpet and staring intensely at her. She knew she should feel frightened at being eyed up by such a large predator, but for some reason she knew there was nothing to be afraid of.

"Dumbledore asked me to deliver something," Charlie explained. "We found this fellow wandering near Hogwarts and the Forbidden Forest. Hagrid wanted to keep him, but he has a mission from the Order and can't take the panther with him. Everyone else is too busy to make sure he doesn't get into trouble over the summer, so we voted and decided that the best place for him is with you."

"_Me?!_" she squeaked, taking an unconscious step backwards. "Why me?"

"For one, you already have a cat, so you know how to take care of them. This one's just on a bit...hmm, larger scale than most." The panther made a sneezing sound at this, which Charlie ignored. "Dumbledore trusts you more than most of the other students, and that's saying a lot. Also, Harry recommended it."

Hermione's jaw dropped. "This was _Harry's_ idea?" She looked back at the panther, which was obediently sitting at Charlie's feet, doing nothing but watching her. "Is he well-trained?" she asked with a sigh, giving in. If Harry thought the big cat should stay with her, well, who was she to argue?

Charlie grinned. "Oh yes, he has wonderful manners. We suspect he's at least partly magical, as he has very high intelligence for a panther. Sometimes we suspect he understands every word we say, though he doesn't always listen if he thinks he knows what's best. He's usually right, too."

Hermione looked over at her mother. "And you're okay with this beast staying here over the summer?"

Mrs. Granger smiled. "Jacob and I don't see a problem with it, as long as he doesn't destroy the house."

Charlie smiled at her. "He won't if we tell him not to, Charlotte." He crouched down to look into the panther's eyes. "This is Hermione," he instructed it. "You will stay with her until she goes to school in September. Try not to cause too much trouble."

The panther rumbled as Charlie unclasped the chain from its thick leather collar, but didn't move. Charlie straightened, pocketing the chain. "Well, if that's all, I'll be off. Have a great summer." With a loud cracking sound, he Apparated away.

Almost in the same instant as Charlie's departure, the panther got to all fours. Hermione watched him, feeling a faint nervous twinge as the big cat stepped closer. She held out her hand, letting him catch her scent, knowing that cats were often wary of strange people until they were able to do so. The panther bumped his head against her hand instead, like Crookshanks did when he wanted to be petted.

Feeling bolder, she stroked the soft, shiny fur on the top of his head. He closed his eyes in contentment, and she gently scritched behind his ears. A faint rumbling purr rose from his throat as she ran her hands down his back.

"Shall I leave you two alone?" Charlotte teased, causing both of them to jump.

Hermione smiled sheepishly, having forgotten that she was standing there. "Actually I was going to write a letter to Harry. Call me down when lunch is ready?"

"Sure," her mother agreed.

Hermione turned and headed back upstairs, and she was somewhat surprised to find the panther shadowing her every step. _He really must be smart,_ she thought to herself. _He's taking Charlie literally, for crying out loud. Stay with me indeed._

She stretched out on her bed to continue writing the letter, and the panther only watched her for a few moments as if determining if she would stay there. Then he walked around the room, investigating anything that caught his attention. She watched him discreetly as he prowled around the room, and at one point she could've sworn he was reading the titles of the books on her shelves.

With one last look at her, the panther left the room to investigate the rest of the house. Shaking her head, she turned back to the letter and began to write.

* * *

The panther explored every inch of Hermione's home carefully, eventually ending up in the kitchen. He inhaled deeply as the scent of roasted chicken reached his sensitive nose, and Mrs. Granger jumped only slightly as she saw him lurking in the shadowed doorway. "You!" she laughed slightly. "Don't scare me like that. Try to make some noise next time or something." 

Obediently, the panther extended his front claws, letting them click on the tile a few times before retracting them again. "Yes, just like that," Charlotte agreed, setting a plastic bowl of chicken on the floor. His ears still pricked and alert for any sound of danger, he approached and began to devour the meat.

A jealous meow reached his ears, and he looked up to see Crookshanks on the counter. The ginger cat stared down at him, almost as though the smaller cat didn't trust him. The panther tilted his head to the side for a moment, considering the housepet carefully, then picked up a piece of chicken and delicately offered it to the other feline.

Crookshanks watched him warily for a moment, then cautiously took the food from the panther. The panther dropped his head back to the bowl and continued to eat. Crookshanks purred as he did likewise, knowing that there was nothing to fear from this strange new cat in his mistress' home.

Inwardly, the panther smiled. Only a half hour in Hermione's home and he was already integrating himself into her everyday life. Yes, things were going perfectly for the Animagus named Harry Potter.


	2. Flashbacks and the Shadow

Chapter Two – Flashbacks and the Shadow

_Two days earlier..._

Professor McGonagall circled the large black panther, sharp eyes taking in every detail of its form. "Well Mr. Potter," she said at last, "you have achieved a full transformation incorporating your clothes. Well done, dear boy."

The panther, which had been sitting on its haunches, became a crouching young man with a faint _pop_. Harry Potter stood, straightening his glasses as they appeared on the end of his nose and giving her a small smile. "I'm glad I was able to manage it. It'd be rather embarrassing to transform and leave my pants behind or something."

After almost a full year, Harry had completed his Animagus training. The paperwork had been filled out the previous week and sent to the Ministry, but he hadn't quite gotten the hang of integrating all of his clothing into his panther form until now. His glasses were also rather hard to integrate, but after several attempts he'd gotten it right, impressing even McGonagall, who sometimes forgot her own during the transition to cat form. Most people who tried the Animagus transformation never completed their training because of how difficult integrating could be, in terms of concentration and power levels.

Remus Lupin opened the door a smidge and looked in. "Are you two done yet?" he asked, smiling at Harry.

"I do believe we're through," McGonagall declared, looking sternly at Harry. "Don't let me catch you misusing your new abilities, Potter. I didn't spend the past year coaching you in Animagus transfiguration for foolish pranks."

"Professor, you have my word that I will not use my Animagus form for pranks or anything ridiculous," Harry promised.

She smiled. "Then be about your business, Mr. Potter."

Feeling happier than he'd been in a long time, Harry joined Remus in the corridor. "I take it Dumbledore wants to see me then," the teenage wizard said.

Remus nodded. "Somehow I think he knew you'd finish today. And just in time, too."

Harry frowned. "In time for what?"

"Ah...er...I think Albus should tell you," Remus said with a slight smirk that clearly said I-know-something-you-don't-know.

Harry sighed and rolled his eyes, causing Remus to chuckle and ruffle his hair. "Don't worry about it so much," Remus advised. "You'll like it, I promise."

Harry made a slight scoffing sound, but smiled and continued walking. They reached the gargoyle that guarded the headmaster's office within a few minutes, and Remus gave the password (today's candy was Ice Mice).

"I wish I could tell my friends about this," Harry said as they rode the moving staircase upwards. "I think they're worried about me hurting myself or something."

"I'm afraid your friends must remain in the dark for a little while longer," Dumbledore said apologetically as the pair entered his office. "Please, sit down. Lemon drop?"

Both of them declined the sour candy as expected, so Dumbledore turned to face Harry in all seriousness. "This summer, I have reason to believe that Voldemort will be attempting to kidnap young Mr. Weasley and Ms. Granger to use as bait to lure you to him."

Harry was not altogether surprised at this news, though he didn't look too thrilled at having his suspicions confirmed. He briefly considered saying so, but thought better of it and nodded instead.

"Now, the Weasleys are safe," Dumbledore continued. "Young Ronald has both parents in the Order, as well as four of his older brothers. As such, he is very well protected and it is unlikely that Voldemort will be able to get at him."

"What about Hermione?" Harry asked worriedly. "Her parents are both Muggles."

Dumbledore's sky-blue eyes twinkled mischievously. "Ah, that's where you come in."

The teenage wizard blinked in surprise. "Me?"

"Yes. With your newly-attained skills, you are fully capable of providing any aid she may require in fending off Death Eaters, as well as being hidden in plain sight, as it were."

"Wait, wait," Harry exclaimed, running his hand through his perpetually-messy hair. "You're saying you want me to turn into a panther and be Hermione's bodyguard?"

The headmaster nodded. "Ms. Granger will not know it is you, of course. As far as she will know, a rather intelligent panther was found wandering near Hogwarts that needs a home for the summer. Being a cat-owner already, and possessing a great deal of knowledge and free time, she is the ideal candidate for the caretaker of the panther. This will provide her with adequate protection, let her do as she wishes for the summer without interference, and place you well out of Voldemort's sights, should he decide to attack you directly rather than through your friends."

Harry thought about it for a moment. _It's true,_ he decided. _If someone _did_ find some sort of big, smart, well-mannered cat and needed to have someone watch it for a bit, I'd definitely recommend Hermione._ Smiling slightly, he relayed these thoughts to Dumbledore.

"I'm delighted you think so," the elderly wizard replied, looking very much as if he were thrilled by Harry's words. "Before sending you to the Grangers' house, however, I would like you to stay in your panther form at Grimmauld Place for a day or two. Remus can help you modify your behavior so that you appear as nothing more than an animal, albeit a rather intelligent one, rather than the wizard you are."

"Will Hermione be safe until then?" Harry asked, shooting a glance at the rather smug-looking werewolf in the chair next to him.

"The Order has been watching her carefully ever since she left Platform Nine-and-Three-Quarters," Dumbledore assured him. "Once you take up your post at her side, we can reduce the guard from four Order members to just one, besides you. She will indeed be safe and secure until you have the chance to join her. When Remus and yourself believe your behavior is good enough to keep anyone from becoming suspicious, Charlie Weasley will escort you to the Granger household."

_Present time..._

By the time the panther finished his lunch, Hermione had come downstairs. Lazily, he wandered in the direction of the stairwell, Crookshanks at his heels. The two cats made their way to Hermione's room, and Harry butted his head against the door to close it. Crookshanks lay down in front of the door, ears alert for signs of Hermione's return.

With a nearly-inaudible _pop_, Harry stood in human form and sat down at her desk. Pulling a piece of parchment from his pocket, he lifted a small whistle around his neck and blew gently. He couldn't hear anything, but moments later his snowy owl swooped through the open window and landed on the desk.

"Hey, girl," Harry said softly. "Hedwig, I need you to deliver a message for me, okay?" Hedwig offered her leg for him to tie the parchment to, which he did. "Take this to Hermione, but wait until she's back in this room. Go fly around the neighborhood first to give us some time."

The owl took off, soaring out the window and out of sight. Satisfied that the plan was working so far, he opened the door slightly and transfigured again, letting Crookshanks nudge the door all the way open.

A few minutes later, Hermione joined her feline companions in the bedroom and picked up her Potions textbook. Before she could open it, Hedwig gave a hooting call and glided in.

"Hedwig!" Hermione exclaimed, seeing the parchment on the owl's leg. "Is this for me?"

Hedwig held out her leg in affirmation, and Hermione untied it and gave her an owl treat. With that taken care of, she turned to the letter and read it out loud. "Dear Hermione. I'm sorry for not answering your letters before, but I've been unable to send anything by owl post until today. I know you must be awfully worried about me, but I am in a safe place and hopefully no one will find me before September. Professor Dumbledore says you probably won't be seeing me in Diagon Alley or Platform Nine-and-Three-Quarters, so please tell Ron and the others that I'm fine. Hopefully I'll be able to send you another letter before September rolls around, but don't be worried if I can't. Current circumstances being as they are, I can't make any promises. I'm looking forward to seeing you at Hogwarts again. Take care. Harry."

Harry was rather glad that panthers couldn't blush, because he'd had no idea that Hermione read his letters out loud before. Thankfully, Hermione didn't notice his unease. "Well, that wasn't too informative. Though I suppose turnabout is fair play..." she mused out loud, absently reaching down to pet the panther. "Hedwig, I don't suppose you'd stay around for me to write a letter to Ron?"

Harry's snowy owl hooted, blinking large amber eyes at the witch and making no move to leave. Smiling slightly, Hermione quickly pulled out a fresh sheet of parchment and wrote a note to Ron. "Dear Ron," she muttered as she wrote. "I just got a letter from Harry. Apparently Dumbledore has sent him into hiding and isn't allowing him to send much owl post. I think he was only able to send one letter, and he asked me to tell you that he's fine and we won't be seeing him until September. You don't happen to have any idea where he might be hidden away, would you? Clues point to Hogwarts or Grimmauld Place, but he hasn't straight-out said where he is. Maybe he's in disguise or something. Well, if you find anything out, please let me know right away."

She signed her name and carefully folded the note, tying it to Hedwig's outstretched leg. "There, take that to Ron at the Burrow." Hedwig spread her wings, casting a short glance at the large black panther before leaving yet again, this time on a long trip to Ottery St. Catchpole.

Hermione looked down at the panther, which had begun a light purring sound and leaned into her caresses. "And as for you," she said, "I think you need a name. I can't just keep calling you 'panther' now can I?"

The large cat rumbled as if in agreement, raising bright green eyes to look into her own brown ones. Inwardly Harry was feeling nervous, wondering if she would catch on to who he really was, or if she'd give him a silly mythological or historical name of some kind.

"You do look an awful lot like my friend Harry," she said absently, and it took all of his concentration not to give her a shocked stare. Instead, he attempted to distract her by nudging her arm with his muzzle, getting her to continue petting him. She giggled softly. "You've both got the same green eyes and messy black hair, after all...but it would just be too weird if you were ever in the same room together. Plus I think he might be a bit embarrassed if I named you after him."

_Thank Merlin,_ he agreed. _She doesn't know it's me, _and_ she's not going to name me after myself. Spiffing!_

"I think 'Shadow' would be a nice name," she decided at last.

Harry blinked in surprise at the completely normal name she'd just suggested. _Well I _am_ her shadow, I suppose,_ he thought to himself, and purred in agreement. She smiled at him, gave him one last stroke along the back of the neck, and opened her Potions textbook to start her summer reading assignment.


	3. Visions, Scars, and Teenage Hormones

Chapter Three – Visions, Scars, and Teenage Hormones

While he was sure that the Potions reading assignment was very exciting, Harry quickly found himself becoming bored. Hermione hadn't moved except to turn the page or take notes for the past half hour, and the panther part of him was becoming almost stir-crazy from the lack of movement. Even Crookshanks had already fallen asleep, curled up on the desk chair.

Unable to sit still any longer, he got to his feet and wandered towards the door. Hermione only glanced up at him before going back to her book. _Perfect,_ Harry thought to himself as he padded down the stairs. Flicking his ears towards the open window, he could hear Mrs. Granger working out in the garden.

Satisfied that he wouldn't be caught doing things a panther shouldn't, he made his way to the living room and located the television remote. Grabbing it carefully with his teeth, he leapt up onto the couch and lay down, placing the remote between his front paws. Aiming it at the TV, he carefully pressed the power button with an extended claw.

The TV turned on to reveal a low-budget series about a guy named Lister, a hologram named Rimmer, and their mutated space cat onboard a giant red ship three million years in the future. Growling in exasperation at the show, he fiddled with the buttons to change the channel. Finally finding what he was looking for, he leaned back into the plush cushions and watched the news for anything suspiciously like a wizard cover-up story.

He must have fallen asleep at some point, because he found himself looking through Voldemort's eyes at a ring of kneeling Death Eaters. _"My loyal followers," the Dark Lord hissed, "what news do you bring me?"_

_One of the Death Eaters spoke up. "My Lord, after careful observation of number four Privet Drive, we have concluded that Harry Potter is no longer in residence there."_

"_Idiot!" Voldemort snapped. "Of _course_ Potter no longer lives there! Dear old Albus must have sensed the wards weakening and moved him to a more secure location. That is why we are going after his pathetic little friends...to get him to come to us."_

_Harry felt a chill run down his spine at the proof of what they'd only suspected thus far. Voldemort was indeed targeting the Weasleys and Hermione this summer in hopes of drawing him out to bargain for their lives._

"_We will capture the youngest Weasley male first," Voldemort decided. "Wormtail!"_

_The short, balding traitor skittered forward to cower at his master's feet. "Master?" he asked, voice quivering with fear._

"_You shall lead fifteen of my inner circle to the Weasleys' residence," the Dark Lord ordered. "Capture Ronald Weasley and bring him to me alive and _unharmed_. Feel free to kill anyone else, but bring me my hostage or it will be better for you if you never return to me."_

Harry's scar seared with pain, and an even greater pain hammered through his skull as something connected with it. Yowling in agony, he nearly fell off the couch. A masculine voice screamed in surprise and fear, and Harry cracked open his eyes to see a rather shaken man standing over him with a briefcase in his hand.

Hermione's voice called down the stairs, heralding her approach. "Shadow? Dad?" she asked in worry.

The man, whom Harry assumed was her father, didn't look up from staring at the panther on the couch. "Hermione, honey, explain to me exactly _why_ we have a wild beast in the living room?"

Before she got the chance, she noticed a trickle of red running down Harry's face and immediately grabbed a tissue. She pressed it against his forehead to slow the bleeding, and he couldn't refrain from hissing in pain at the pressure. "What happened?" she asked her father, gently running her hands down Harry's back as if trying to distract him from the pain in his head.

Mr. Granger, still somewhat taken aback but having recovered his composure somewhat, explained that he'd come up behind the couch, intending to sit on it only to find a panther lying there already. As he'd already begun to throw his briefcase onto the other end of the couch, it had struck the panther soundly on the skull, waking it up rather vocally.

Hermione carefully pulled the tissue away from Harry's forehead, and he allowed her to inspect the wound. "Hey," she said in slight surprise and amusement, "now you've got a cut that looks kind of like a lightning bolt. Now I almost regret not naming you Harry; you look a _lot_ like him now."

Harry rather suspected that Mr. Granger had hit him on the scar, reopening the still-sensitive tissues rather than creating a new mark. _I guess it's a good thing that this happened,_ he mused, able to think clearly now that the pain had died down to a faint twinge. _It would have been suspicious if she'd seen the scar without any explanation of how it got there._

Remembering that her father still had no idea why there was a panther on the couch to begin with, Hermione abruptly apologized and briefly explained that 'Shadow' had been found on Hogwarts grounds and, being at least partly magical, needed someone to watch him over the summer until the Order could take him off her hands.

Mr. Granger looked slightly skeptical, but accepted his daughter's explanation without too much difficulty. "Can he understand English?" he asked, curiosity getting the best of him.

Absently, Harry gave him a slight nod, startling even Hermione, who knew he was smarter than the norm for panthers. Acting quickly to restore normal catlike behavior, he bumped his head against her arm. She smiled slightly, running her hand between his ears and cautiously avoiding the 'new' scar. "Charlie said he understands most of what we say," she elaborated to her father. "So if he's somewhere you think he shouldn't be, you can tell him and he'll know what you mean. Charlie told him to stay with me, and he refused to leave my side for a little while until he got bored and went off exploring the house. So far he hasn't caused any trouble besides scaring me out of my wits when I heard you two yelling."

She turned to Harry, her face holding a certain degree of seriousness. "Shadow, this is my father, Jacob Granger. He's really a nice guy...he didn't mean to hit you."

"Terribly sorry about that, old boy," Jacob said, warily reaching towards the panther as if expecting 'Shadow' to bite him. Harry politely took notice of the man's scent before maneuvering the hand to his furry head in a please-don't-be-scared-of-me gesture. Breathing a sigh of relief, Mr. Granger ran his hand along Harry's soft head before stepping back. "I suppose I'll watch the telly some other time, then," he commented, throwing a wink at Hermione before heading upstairs to the parental bedroom.

Once he was gone, Hermione gently turned Harry's head so that he was looking at her. "I think you're a lot smarter than you let on," she said in a not entirely condemning tone. "I don't know of any other pets that watch the news, let alone know what a remote control is." She stared into his eyes, as if she could read the answers in the emerald-green orbs staring back at her. Finally she sighed. "Come on then, I imagine it's time for supper anyway."

Charlotte Granger had apparently looked up information on a panther's diet, because his supper consisted of a very large dish of shredded venison. He noted in slight confusion that she had also sprinkled a very small amount of mango shavings onto the meat. At first he was wary of eating fruit as a panther, but he was pleasantly surprised that even the panther part of his mind greatly enjoyed the taste of mango.

This time he didn't finish eating until the three Grangers had already left the table. Feeling comfortably full, he strolled up the stairs and into Hermione's room. She had begun closing the door as he arrived, but let him in before shutting it all the way.

"You sure took your sweet time," she said, and to Harry's great shock, she didn't give him a second glance as she took off her shirt.

Harry was almost certain he could hear his brain blowing fuses as he was treated to a sight of Hermione that he'd never seen before. Over the years she had developed into an adequately-curvaceous young woman, and Harry distractedly wondered why school robes had to cover up so _much_ of people.

Three seconds later, it hit him that he was staring at his half-naked best friend, and his body was telling him to do things with her that he hadn't even _considered_. If he had been in human form, his face would have been Weasley-red as he tore his eyes away from the tantalizing vision of loveliness before him. Seeing no other place that he could go without breaking things, he bolted under the bed and crawled back to the wall. Only then did he let himself resume watching her, as all he could see was her feet and ankles.

_We're not even the same species at the moment,_ he scolded himself. _So stop looking at her like that!_

"Shadow?"

Harry closed his eyes as he saw her kneeling on the floor, peering under the bed at him and unintentionally giving him a rather good view of her chest. "What're you doing, you silly panther?"

Obviously, he could not answer, but was doubly embarrassed when she crawled under the bed with him. She settled herself very, very close to him and gently stroked his side. He couldn't help but notice that she'd also taken her jeans off, leaving her in very little clothing at all. "Hey, boy, what's the matter?" she said soothingly, completely unaware of what effect her body was having on Harry.

_Oh, please let her give up and go to bed,_ Harry pleaded to any deity who was listening. Apparently no one was on duty, because Hermione chose to cuddle up to him instead, apparently thinking her presence would provide comfort against whatever was disturbing him.

After several minutes, he heard her breathing slow down and deepen. _Oh...no. She's fallen _asleep_ on me?! This is _not_ supposed to be happening!_

However, he didn't have the heart to move and wake her up, and she would have to move before he could get out from under the bed. He was, rather effectively, trapped with a barely-clothed young woman draped against his side.

_She's going to kill me when she finds out who I am._

It was several hours until he could convince his body to go to sleep.

- - - - - - - -

**Questions from reviewers:**

wildkat - "How will Harry do his summer homework if he's a panther?" Um, to be honest, I forgot all about the summer homework. Oops. I'll see if I can get something about that into the story towards the end, perhaps. Thanks for pointing that out!


	4. Library Surprise

Chapter Four – Library Surprise

By the time Harry woke up, he was alone under the bed. For a moment he was disoriented, having no idea where he was or how he'd gotten there. Crookshanks' meowing jolted his memories, and he recalled with a fierce flush of embarrassment what had happened the night before.

As he crawled out from under the bed, he saw Hermione sitting at her desk. Faint scratching noises came from something in front of her, and the scent of ink and parchment confirmed his suspicions that she was writing something. To his great relief, and a smidgen of disappointment, she was a lot more clothed than she had been last night.

"Good morning," she said as she saw him emerging from the shadows under the bed.

Harry stretched, working the kinks out of his spine from lying in such a cramped position all night. Several joints popped as he moved. _That's the last time I sleep under a bed,_ he vowed. _Okay…I'll just check on what she's doing and then report to the Order,_ he told himself.

Shaking off the remaining stiffness, he padded over to the desk and peered at the parchment she was working on. A complex set of equations that he didn't have the slightest clue about revealed that it was her Arithmancy homework.

Hermione finished up the paragraph and set down her quill, grabbing her backpack and heading for the stairwell. Taken by surprise, he bounded after her and followed her to the front door. "Mom, I'm going to the library," Hermione called out.

_Why am I not surprised?_ Harry sighed inwardly, then swore. _Dammit, now I gotta follow her! Sorry Order, but Hermione is top priority…_

As she went to open the door, she suddenly noticed him standing behind her. "Oh, no you don't, Shadow. You have to stay here. I'll be back later."

Harry's ears automatically laid back against his skull in displeasure, and he growled as she tried to sneak past him. He dug his claws into the wood of the door, getting his paw around to the outside to keep it open. Hermione put up a valiant struggle to close the door, but he managed to get his head through the gap to follow her.

She sighed. "Fine then! But don't you be getting into trouble or running away from me, got it?" Harry slid the rest of his body outside through the gap, and she was finally able to close the door to the house. "I think I'd rather have you be on that chain Charlie had," she told him. "If only to make the neighbors feel better about all this."

A clanking noise caught her attention as she stepped off the porch, and she looked down to see the chain lying on the sidewalk. She cast a suspicious glance at the panther, but Harry was just as surprised as she was. Apparently deciding that Charlie must have left it there in case she took him outside, she attached one end to his leather collar.

"We're going to get such strange looks from people," she muttered to him as they walked down the road. Harry looked around and was amused to see that she was right; people were stopping to stare at the unlikely pair of panther and teenage girl strolling casually towards the town library. A sporty red car almost collided with a telephone pole as the driver gaped at Harry.

From the other side of a chain link fence, a Yorkshire terrier started yapping insanely at him. Harry raised a feline eyebrow at the tiny dog that was so bold as to try to scare off something over twenty times its size. _I may be a cat, but this is ridiculous,_ he thought with a snigger. It came out as a sneeze-like noise, which Hermione thankfully ignored.

The library was a rather large one, as far as libraries go; it was three stories tall and took up a good deal of floor space as well. The aged scent of bound paper permeated the entire room, and there was even a small lounge-like area in the center with couches and ornate rugs.

"Miss Granger!" a surprised man at the circulation desk exclaimed.

"Hello, Mr. Atoz," Hermione said.

"What exactly are you doing with this wild beast?" Mr. Atoz asked, looking nervously at Harry.

"I'm taking care of him for a friend," she explained. "He's very well-behaved, and there's no rule against having a panther in here, is there?"

"Well, no," Atoz admitted. "But keep an eye on that creature. If he so much as scratches one person, I'm afraid I'll have to ask you to leave."

"You won't have to," Hermione said with a smile, though Harry could smell her uncertainty. Feeling as though he needed to give her confidence a boost, he affectionately rubbed his cheek against her leg as if he were nothing more than a really...._really_...big kitty.

Which, of course, he was.

- - - -

By the time Hermione picked out a book to read, all the seats in the lounge area were taken. It didn't take her long to convince him to lie down on the plush rug and let her recline against his side, though many people had stopped to stare at the panther in the library.

Unwilling to be drawn back into a mire of boredom, Harry peered around her arm at the page of the open book. To his surprise, it was The Hobbit, a book he'd heard about but never read himself.

Hermione noticed his interest, and tilted the book so he could see better. "Can you read?" she asked quietly, almost inaudibly. Deciding to play it safe, and take some suspicion off of him, he shook his head and gave her his best pleading look. "Do you want me to read it to you?" This time he nodded slightly, prompting a smile from his friend.

"All right. 'Chapter One: An Unexpected Party. In a hole in the ground there lived a hobbit...'"

Harry listened in fascination as Hermione told the tale of a content little hobbit named Bilbo Baggins, and the old wizard Gandalf who tricked him into going on an adventure with thirteen dwarves to take back the Lonely Mountain from the dragon Smaug. Hermione had to stop for a moment when they reached the chapter about the hill trolls, because she was giggling a bit too hard to read quietly. "Oh, don't look at me like that," she scolded him playfully as he eyed her in concern. "I was just thinking that if Harry had been there, he would've tried to put his wand up its nose or something, like he did on Halloween in our first year. Though to be fair, it did help distract it long enough, and it was rather sweet of him to come running to my rescue."

Once again, Harry was thankful that his dark fur hid his blush. _Well, what was I supposed to do? I didn't know any helpful spells but I couldn't let it just kill her._

Hermione giggled a bit more, then went back to the story. She was still smiling, however. "Right then. 'A really first-class and legendary burglar would at this point have picked the trolls' pockets – it is nearly always worth while, if you can manage it –, pinched the very mutton off the spits, purloined the beer, and walked off without their noticing him...'"

- - - -

"...'Utterly miserable as Gollum sounded, Bilbo could not find much pity in his heart'–"

"Hey, that big cat hasn't been there before, has it?" a new voice interrupted somewhat loudly.

Hermione looked up in irritation to see a pair of young men who appeared to be in their early twenties – old enough to know better, but young enough to disregard that fact. One of them was staring at Shadow as if he knew _exactly_ what the panther was. The other was apparently unaware that Shadow was a real, living creature and proceeded to come a bit closer to see him better.

"Excuse me," Hermione said, "but we were busy reading, so if you don't mind, we'd like to get back to that."

"Who's 'we'?" the second guy asked, raising an eyebrow sharply as if he thought she was crazy. "I only see you, darlin'."

"Uh, Josh?" the first guy said hesitantly.

"Not now, Adrian, I'm talkin' to the girl," Josh commanded, not even sparing Adrian a glance. "So, where'd this big stuffed cat come from?" He reached forward to poke at the big cat's side.

Up until that point, Shadow had been lying with his head resting on his paws, eyes closed. He obviously knew the two men were present, but chose to remain still for whatever reason. At the 'stuffed cat' comment, however, he lifted his head and opened his jaws wide in a huge yawn. Hermione could actually hear his jaw joint pop loudly before he closed his mouth and stared straight at Josh, who had gone rigid in sudden fear.

"I tried to tell you, dude," Adrian commented quietly. "That thing is _real_."

"Like I said," Hermione said, smirking slightly and reaching up to stroke the top of Shadow's head in emphasis, "we'd like to get on with our reading, so if you don't mind..."

Josh was apparently frozen in a combination of shock and terror, so Adrian grabbed the back of his jacket and dragged him away. Hermione smiled at him as he cast an apologetic look in her direction, mouthing the words 'sorry about that' as he hauled his petrified friend away from the witch and her panther.

Shadow looked up at her as if to ask what he should do now. "I think we should finish the book at home," she said. "You never know what kind of interruptions we'll get here." She could've sworn Shadow actually grinned at that, but when she looked again he was still normal-looking.

Grabbing a bookmark, she marked their spot in The Hobbit and stood, grabbing Shadow's chain. The panther gracefully rose to his paws as well, and followed her to the checkout desk. Several people had stopped to stare, and Hermione caught a glimpse of Adrian peering around a bookcase at the pair. When he saw her looking in his direction, he gave her the thumbs-up sign in approval. She smiled back, and turned back to the counter to check out The Hobbit.

- - - -

During dinner, Harry was able to sneak away long enough to send a quick note to Remus Lupin about his vision the previous day, signing it under the name "Hermione's Shadow," knowing that he would understand and alert Dumbledore. Apparently Remus was on Hermione's guard-duty today, because a reply came back about ten minutes later.

_Weasleys safe,_ it read. _Burrow under Fidelius and family at 12G. Stay with Hermione._

_RJL._

Harry breathed a sigh of relief and tapped the note three times. It obligingly disappeared, and he transfigured back into Shadow before padding downstairs to rejoin the Granger family.

--------------

A/N: Thanks for all the reviews! There are a few questions in there, so I'll answer them as best I can.

mercury2217: Hermione will find out towards the end, and this story has around ten chapters planned.

Silver-Silhouette6: For the sake of amusement, it is comfy under Hermione's bed.

The-power-of-love: Well, she'll probably skin him and use his fur as a rug, I'm thinking. ;) Just kidding! Wait and find out.

For everyone: You're probably wondering why I chose a panther for Harry's Animagus form. Well, I picked the panther as Harry's Animagus form for several reasons. Firstly, black panthers have black fur and green eyes, which are the obvious markings for Harry's form. Second, black panthers are actually jaguars or leopards with rare black fur, which sets them apart from their fellow jaguars/leopards…just as Harry is unique among wizards.

Thirdly, according to Indian myth, Panther is the stealthiest of the animals (think invisibility cloak), uses its eyesight to hunt (Seeker), great warrior (Harry's good at dueling and stuff), tries to protect mankind and innocents from harm (his saving-people thing), is mostly solitary but sometimes has close companions that they defend to the death (Harry has a few very close friends), and also hates evil and will try to hunt it down and slay it (as he is the Prophesized one). Panther also believes in being able to defend itself without magic (such as Harry beating Draco's face in during OotP) and is known to be quiet as it prefers to avoid getting into pointless arguments (making no noise and pretending that he doesn't exist).

Fourthly, "The panther is prominent in American Indian mythology, with its cunning, agility, and strength respected and admired by many tribes. The animal figures in the magic and shamanism of nearly all ancients as their progenitor, protector, or as a source of power to ward of disease or to excel as a hunter. Others are awed by the animal and consider it an omen of disaster." This is a dead ringer for how people treat Harry - they either worship the ground that he walks on, or want to get rid of him (like the Ministry).

And finally, it just seemed to fit. ;)


	5. Intruder Alert

Chapter Five – Intruder Alert

Later that night, when everything was dark and the Grangers were asleep, the front door clicked open. A man, dressed all in black and carrying a large bag and a knife, cautiously crept into the house. Almost shutting the door, but not letting the latch catch, he turned to search the house.

Harry woke with a start, ears alert for any sign of what had shocked his consciousness from sleep. Next to him on the bed, Hermione slept peacefully, her arm draped across his furry side but not quite pinning him down to the mattress.

A soft creaking reached his sensitive ears, followed by a very quiet tapping.

_There's someone downstairs,_ he determined. A quick flick of the ears and he realized that both Granger adults were still sound asleep. _An intruder!_ he realized in alarm. _A Death Eater?_

Quietly, he slipped out from under Hermione's arm and padded over to the closed bedroom door. Ten seconds later, he discovered that neither paws nor jaws could turn the handle adequately. He took a deep breath and gathered all his Gryffindor courage, then concentrated on his human form.

As he made the tell-tale _pop_ of Animagus transformation, Hermione made a small noise and moved as if she was going to sit up. Harry froze with his hand on the doorknob, holding his breath as he watched her anxiously. An eternity passed before she murmured and rolled over to face the wall, putting him out of her sight...but not out of her hearing, if she wasn't quite asleep. Deciding to take a chance, he twisted the doorknob and opened the door.

"Muh...Shadow?"

Hermione opened her eyes and sat up, blinking sleepily at the panther. Harry inwardly sighed in relief as she made no signs of having seen or heard him transfiguring himself for the second time. He stood attentively at the door, ears flat against his skull as he growled quietly, staring out at the staircase.

Hermione correctly interpreted his body language and came awake immediately. "There's someone here," she deduced in a whisper. Harry nodded, and she grabbed her wand from the bedside table as she slid off the bed. "Lead the way, Shadow."

Harry didn't want to take her into danger, but he knew she wouldn't stay behind if she felt threatened. Calling upon all his panther stealth, he crept down the stairs and towards the living room.

To his chagrin, Hermione charged right in and hit the light switch, flooding the room with light.

"What the...?" the intruder swore, shielding his eyes with his hand.

"Get out of my house," Hermione commanded, and Harry relaxed a fraction when he realized the intruder didn't appear to have a wand.

The man had apparently recovered enough to see her, and raised the knife in his hand. "Look, girlie, I'm not leaving until I get what I came for, so be a good little girl and don't try any funny business."

While the man spoke, Harry circled around behind the couch and took up a position behind the intruder. When the man took another step towards Hermione, proving that he was a Muggle – otherwise he'd know what Hermione was aiming at him – Harry made his move.

With a loud roar, he lunged at the man's back. The intruder spun around at the unexpected sound, and a look of pure surprise crossed his face as Harry tackled him to the floor. Growling menacingly, the Animagus sank his teeth into his victim's upraised arm, causing him to howl in agony. He planted his other massive paw on the man's chest, claws extended and digging into the black shirt.

"Get him, Shadow!" Hermione encouraged, still aiming her wand at the downed man.

The intruder lashed out with his other arm, and Harry felt something sear into his shoulder. Cursing mentally as the pain flared up, he ripped his claws through the man's free arm. The intruder bellowed and dropped the knife, which Harry slapped out of his reach. Both of them bled freely, and Harry decided to immobilize the intruder before he did something else.

The man let out a strangled cry as Harry dropped his full body weight onto the intruder, and nearly one hundred sixty pounds of big cat pinned him to the floor. Footsteps could be heard from the stairway as the man was finally rendered helpless.

Jacob and Charlotte appeared in the doorway and took surprisingly little time to take in what was happening. Charlotte went to dial the police, and Jacob moved closer to the whimpering intruder.

"Please," the man gasped, "get this thing off me!"

Jacob was silent for a moment, staring at the man who had dared invade his home. "Hold him, Shadow," he said at last. Harry growled in agreement, still holding onto the man's arm with his teeth.

Over the sound of his own growls and the intruder's wheezing breath, Harry could hear Charlotte on the phone in the kitchen. "There's a man in my living room; he broke in a few minutes ago with a knife and tried to rob us. My daughter and her pet panther managed to disarm him and they have him cornered now. Could you send somebody out to arrest him or something?" A pause. "Yes, my daughter has a panther. She's taking care of it over the summer for a friend." Pause. "Yes, I'm sure Charlie Weasley has a permit to– oh, you've heard of him, then." Another pause. "Ten minutes? I think we can keep him detained for that long, yes. Thank you."

The man looked desperate now. "Look, I think I got the wrong house or something. Just let me go and I'll pay for your...um...pet's treatment. Please, just let me go! Don't let the cops take me away..."

Harry relaxed his jaw a little as the man's scent radiated sincerity. He did not, however, let go of his arm of get off him. Jacob glanced at the intruder's weapon, which was lying at least ten feet away. "You realize that by coming here like this, you've committed three felonies?" he asked casually. "Breaking and Entering, Burglary, and Assault. If Shadow hadn't been here, would you have hurt my daughter? How could I let you go, when I know that someone else's daughter could be found murdered because I released you? No, you decided to do this, so you have to face the consequences."

The cops were still taken somewhat aback when they arrived, and spent a good five minutes just staring at the panther. Finally, one of them stepped forward and handcuffed the intruder. He almost jumped back as the panther offered him the felon's other, much-chewed arm, but kept his composure long enough to finish restraining the man. Harry stood up and moved to where he wasn't blocking the cops from taking the intruder away, but could still tackle the man if he tried any funny business.

Harry shadowed the police and their captive all the way to the cop car, and once the intruder was finally locked in the back seat he returned to the house. Hermione immediately descended on him. "Oh Shadow, you're hurt!"

For a few moments, Harry had no idea what she meant and just stared at her blankly. She reached out and pressed against his shoulder, and he yowled as the pain suddenly hit him like a Mack truck. Hermione didn't show a trace of fear as she pressed harder to stem the bloodflow, and as she did he remembered the intruder stabbing him. "Mom, Dad, would one of you get something we can use as a bandage for Shadow? The burglar got him with the knife during the fight."

Charlotte reacted quickly and retrieved Hermione's Gryffindor scarf from the kitchen counter. Jacob helped Hermione tie it around Harry's wounded leg while Harry stayed absolutely still. "Does the vet's office treat exotic animals?" Charlotte asked as they worked.

"They'll probably do their best," Jacob mused. "I'm sure they don't specialize in it, at least, but he's just a housecat on a large scale. They won't be open for another few hours though...Shadow isn't about to bleed to death, so he should be okay until morning. Then we can get him checked out and fixed up. For now, let's just get the bleeding stopped and go back to bed."

Hermione led Harry back up the stairs to her room, keeping a close eye on him for any signs of a more severe injury to his shoulder. Harry did his best not to limp for her, but couldn't hide all signs of being injured from his observant friend. She directed him to a spot right alongside her bed, and he gratefully lay down and closed his eyes. _What a night,_ he thought. _I hope there's no more excitement like _that_ for her this summer...that man was a Muggle, not a Death Eater, and he caused enough trouble by himself._

As though from across foggy waters, he heard Hermione whisper goodnight as she too lay down to sleep. Goodnight, 'Mione.

--------------

**Questions from reviewers:**

realfanficts: I take a long time to update because firstly, I am a college student and have less free time than I desire. Secondly, fanfiction is not my top priority on my list of hobbies. Thirdly, I am currently working in another fandom and this fic is not one of my high priority fics. I'm glad you like the story, but I do have a life outside of the internet.

Slash: I choose option number three, "wait and find out." :P

Marie: I found all the information on the panthers from searching on the internet for mythology and symbolism regarding the animal itself. You can run a search from any search engine and find tons of useful information, if you'd like to research it yourself. And your English is fine; much better than some people I know. Out of curiosity, what is your native language?

Hermione Rae: Yes, Hermione still had her bra on. All she took off were her shirt and pants (in the American terminology, that is – to the British, "pants" means underwear). She still had her bra and panties on, so no need to worry.

Silver-Silhouette6: Wow, that's pretty special. I'm truly honored to have a reader of American Indian lineage.

captuniv: Trek fan, guilty as charged. The wards were weakening because the Death Eaters were slowly wearing it down, hoping that no one would notice if it was gradual enough.


	6. Vet's Office and Baths

Chapter Six - Vet's Office and Baths

In the morning, Harry found himself being coaxed into the Granger family car for a quick road trip. His panther instincts rebelled furiously against going into such a small, confined space, but one look at Hermione was all it took to get him to climb across the back seat. His friend took passenger seat while her father got in the driver's seat, though she kept looking back at Harry as if afraid he would try to escape.

The vet's office was a thirty minute drive out of town, and seemed suited for various types of large animals like horses, cows, or sheep, as well as house pets. Hermione clipped the chain to Harry's collar before opening the car door and letting him out. He sniffed at the air, catching the scent of farm animals and antiseptic coming from the moderately-sized building in front of him.

Hermione led him to a waiting area while Jacob filled out the paperwork at the front desk, and Harry looked around at the other patients and their owners. A miniature horse stood beside an elderly man on the other side of the room, and the little equine watched Harry warily. There was a little kid and his mother two seats away, holding a birdcage with a parakeet inside. Two dogs growled at Harry despite their owners telling them not to, and a yellow housecat in a cat carrier tried to bat at Harry's tail through the bars of the door.

They only had to wait ten minutes before the secretary called "Shadow, black panther," though not without looking twice to make sure she was saying the right animal. Jacob, Harry, and Hermione followed her to an examination room, where their vet was waiting.

"Ms. Granger," the vet said with a smile, "Don't you already have a cat?"

"I'm taking care of Shadow while his owners are out of town," Hermione explained to him, also smiling. Harry guessed that this was where Hermione took Crookshanks whenever he needed medical attention, and that she and the vet knew each other at least a little well.

"So you say Shadow here sustained a knife wound to the shoulder?" the vet asked, unfazed by the panther in the slightest.

"Yes. A burglar broke into our house last night and stabbed Shadow in an attempt to get away," Jacob said. "We would've brought him in earlier, but it wasn't an emergency."

"I see," the vet said, nodding. "Can you get him up on the table so I can see the wound better?"

Hermione patted the waist-high table. "Up, Shadow." Harry carefully jumped up onto it in an attempt not to slide off the other side. He balked at the feel of cold metal under his paws, but Hermione's gentle hand on his back calmed him.

The vet shone a bright light onto Harry's shoulder and carefully separated the fur around the injury. "Looks like maybe two or three inches deep," the vet stated. "Has he been limping, or otherwise shown difficulty moving?"

"A little bit of limping," Hermione admitted, "but other than that he's looked just fine."

"Hmm." The vet prodded at Harry's shoulder a little bit. "No infection or festering yet, but it could be too early to tell. I'll set up an antibiotic for him and a proper bandage to cover the wound. Shouldn't take more than twenty minutes."

Harry forced himself to remain still as the vet shaved the fur around the wound completely off, though he winced at the thought of what he'd look like now. The vet smeared some type of salve into the cut and then covered it with a white bandage that stuck right to his skin. However, when the man came at him with a syringe, Harry laid his ears flat against his skull and hissed threateningly. He absolutely _hated_ needles.

The vet wasn't too startled at his reaction, but stayed out of range of Harry's claws. "I don't think he likes needles very much," he said. "Could you try to calm him down enough for me to give him the antibiotic?"

"I have an idea," Hermione said, and suddenly Harry had to close his eyes as Hermione's hand covered them. _Well, crap,_ he thought. _I guess I should just get it over with before they try sedating me or something._

A small pricking at his shoulder and it was done. Hermione let him hop down off the table and they made their way to the front desk. Jacob sent them out to the car while he talked to the vet.

"That wasn't so bad now, was it?" Hermione asked him as she opened the back door. "Get in the car, Shadow." Harry inwardly sighed, and climbed up onto the cushions. _This was _not_ on the agenda,_ he grumbled to himself.

Harry's shoulder healed quickly over the next week, and took up prowling around the outside of the Granger house several times daily. The neighbor dogs still barked at him whenever they saw him, but they were all confined inside fences and Harry squashed the instinct to fight them.

He leapt up onto the porch railing in one fluid movement, using all his panther senses to make sure no unidentified persons had come anywhere close to Hermione's house.

A rather burly man was walking his pit bull down the sidewalk on the other side of the street. The pit bull growled at Harry, and the man stopped to stare with a strange look in his eyes. "You think you can take a panther, Killer?" he asked the dog. The dog barked savagely in reply, straining at the leash towards Harry. The man smiled maliciously. "Sic 'im," he said, and let go of the leash.

The pit bull plowed into a surprised Harry, knocking him off the railing. The dog snapped at his paws, and Harry recovered his composure. He snarled a warning, and when the dog tried to bite him again, he swatted at the beast with his claws extended. The dog yelped in surprise as Harry roared and pounced on top of it, though he held back from trying to kill it.

Mud splattered everywhere as the Animagus shoved his opponent into the ground with his front legs. The dog futilely attempted to get up and fight back, but Harry dealt it a stunning blow to the head with a paw. The dog yelped as Harry bit it on the back of the neck, lifting it by its scruff and dragging it to the sidewalk. He released the dog and snarled at it.

The pit bull needed no such incentive. It staggered to its feet and fled to its flabbergasted master's side, tail between its legs. The man stared slack-jawed at his thoroughly whipped dog for a moment, then glared angrily at Harry. Harry bared his teeth and roared. The man paled and took a step back, noticing for the first time that the panther was not restrained in any way. He turned tail and ran down the street, with his bloodied and muddy dog following.

"Shadow!"

Harry whirled around to see Hermione standing in the front doorway, looking at him disapprovingly. "You're all dirty now! Mom won't let you into the house like that, you know."

Harry shifted guiltily. He hadn't meant to cause any trouble, and if he wasn't allowed inside then how would he guard Hermione? _Some bodyguard I am,_ he thought to himself.

"I guess I'll just have to give you a bath," Hermione continued, grabbing his collar before he could react. _WHAT! A BATH?_ he thought in alarm. "Luckily for you, the downstairs bathroom has a tub in it big enough to hold you, and there's only easily-cleaned tile floor on the way there," she said as she pulled him towards the house.

Hermione dragged him into a small bathroom and closed the door behind her, ensuring that he couldn't escape. She unbuckled his collar and set it on a shelf next to the sink, then turned the water on in the tub. "Get in, Shadow," she told him, looking ready to at least _try_ to make him do it if he didn't obey on his own.

Harry counted himself lucky that panthers didn't mind water like most housecats, and carefully got in the tub. A few inches of water splashed around his paws, and he briefly amused himself by pawing at the water as Hermione located the shampoo.

"Hmm," she mused out loud as she looked at the bottle. "We don't have any cat shampoo, but I'm sure what's good for us is good for you…as long as you don't mind smelling like lavender for awhile." Harry cringed at the mention of flower-scented shampoo. _Oh, that is _so_ unmanly…_ He let out a small growl of protest as Hermione liberally doused him with the purple syrupy liquid, but she ignored it and began scrubbing the shampoo into his fur.

_I'm never going to live this down if she finds out she gave her best friend a bath,_ Harry thought, and his fur hid another blush as he realized the implications of that. _Aw man, she's gonna _kill_ me._

Hermione's hands worked their way down his back from his head, and then each paw was individually tended to. He was startled when she grabbed at his tail and washed that too, but almost felt like dying from embarrassment when she scrubbed at his underside. _Whoa there, that's just indecent! I'm _never_ telling her about this once I'm human again,_ he decided.

The water quickly turned a frothy brown as the mud washed off, and Hermione drained the water as she rinsed the remaining shampoo from his fur. As soon as the water was no longer being dumped on him, he shook himself from head to tail, spraying water everywhere like a dog. Hermione sputtered as she was drenched from the onslaught, and Harry hopped out of the tub onto the bathmat, feeling secretly pleased that he'd been able to get her back for the indignity of bathing him. Hermione grabbed a large fluffy towel and began to rub it over his wet fur.

_Oooooh wow, this feels good…_

A rumbling noise made its way from deep in his throat and his human mind took a backseat as Hermione rubbed his back with the towel. She chuckled when she heard him purring. "You like that, do you?" Harry, to his slight embarrassment, could only purr louder in response.

After all too short a time, she pulled back and looked at him critically. "Yeah, I think that's good enough," she declared. Both Harry and the panther's instincts disagreed, but she'd already draped the wet towel over the curtain rod. He sighed inwardly as she buckled the leather collar around his neck again before opening the door. Reluctantly, Harry followed her up to her bedroom for another one of her homework sessions.

---------------

A/N: I'm sorry it took so long for me to upload, but real life got in the way, big time. My laptop imploded, my dog had to be put to sleep, I had to get a part-time job, and college recently resumed. Chaos all around. Plus my interest has shifted towards Stargate. Don't worry, this story will get finished, just maybe not right away. Since you've all been so patient, I thought I'd find the time to get another chapter out. As always, I'm astounded to see how many people are reading this fic. I have 107 reviews on ff netand 273 reviews on Portkey. It's my second-most-read fichere with 1037 hits (topped only by a Stargate fic with 2652 hits), and on Portkey it currently has 21576 hits. Wow. Very popular, this thing.


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